The Parting of our Friend
by Magic Shade
Summary: ...And his friends shall grieve for his death, for it was most untimely. And tears will be shed for his soul. The Funeral of Uzumaki Naruto was not only sad for those of Konoha. Rewrite with Sand Sibs is on the way.


The Parting of our Friend

The rain fell unrelentingly on the group gathered in front of the grave. A small stone shrine had been placed on top of the freshly piled mound of earth. On the small shrine was a picture with a bent corner. It was crinkled and looked worn. It had been ripped on one side. This was the only photo of Uzumaki Naruto. It had been taken from his copy of the Team 7 photo. No other copy of the photo in the world existed. His was the last. It was also the last photo of Uzumaki Naruto. The assembled group one by one approached the grave to leave their gift, and say their farewells. The first to approach was one Tamanata Tenten.

"You know, I never really knew you. I never actually spoke to you. I wish I had now. You defeated Neji in the Chuunin Exams and I resented you for that because of my silly crush on him. But now I see how much it helped Neji in the long run. Maybe if I had gotten to know you, it could have been something more." Tenten dropped a sickle with a chain attached to it. "I was saving this for the one who stole my heart, and give it to them on our wedding day. But now, I think it would best serve you. Even if you aren't here to hold it." Tenten stood up. Her salty tears falling in tandem with the rain as she walked away. The next to approach was Rock Lee.

"Naruto-kun. You were a most worthy adversary and even more worthy friend. I do not consider myself worthy enough to be your friend. But knowing that you had already accepted me, it gives me great joy Naruto. And I know now I must find a new Eternal Rival. For how could I compete with someone who has already beaten me in every aspect of life? You have beaten me in compassion, love, caring, joy, everything that truly mattered. If you were still here I would beg for your forgiveness for being so unworthy. I am just sorry your flames of youth were extinguished before they truly had a chance to shine." Lee took off the orange leg braces he always wore before setting them carefully next to the chain. His eyes brimmed with tears as he gave a sad smile.

Hyuuga Neji was next to approached the grave. "Naruto, you gave me hope. You defeated fate and defied destiny. For that I salute you." Neji gave a salute to the grave before driving a Jyuuken strike into the headstone leaving behind his handprint.

Hyuuga Hinata approached the grave before laying down an orange speckled white rose. "It was always Naruto-kun's favorite. Maybe it'll serve him better in death than it did in life." Hinata left tears streaming form her eyes.

The next to approach was Nara Shikamaru. "Naruto… you idiot. You just had to get yourself killed didn't you? Now who am I gonna watch the clouds with? You just had to go and be lazier than me." Shikamaru gave a small smile. "Maybe death isn't as peaceful as people say, and you'll have to work. He he, what a life eh Naruto? You go through and work hard, only to work more. Or maybe you work hard and rest forever. Maybe you laze through life and work through death. I guess I'll find out eventually eh buddy? Just save a spot on that cloud up there for me." Shikamaru laid down a small piece of wood carved into the shape of a cloud. "You gave this to me when we were kids to show our friendship. I'm giving it back to show I failed you as a friend." Shikamaru cried as he left. He started to leave before removing his headband. "If being a ninja means this, watching your friend's funeral before your old, then I don't want to be a ninja." Shikamaru dropped his headband next to the cloud before walking off.

Akamichi Chouji sauntered up surprisingly not eating anything. "You were a friend to us all Naruto. I never knew you beyond your enormous appetite and love for food. We could have been good friends, if only I hadn't let my clan's stupid prejudice of you get in the way. I'll never be able to finish the last chip in the bag now. Knowing that I really owe it to you." Chouji laid down a cup of instant miso ramen. Naruto's favorite. He walked off with a stern face. He pretended not to cry, and everyone accepted that. They knew he would find his own way to grieve.

Inuzuka Kiba came up to the grave. Akamaru standing beside him also seemed forlorn. Kiba looked at the grave before patting Akamaru's head. "Dobe. That's what I always say you as. The weakest link. The shortest string. But now I see that it wasn't a weakness. It was your desire to be seen, to be noticed by those around you. But we ignored you, which drove you to greater lengths. You were twice the ninja I could ever hope to be Naruto. It just goes to show you; those in last place are sometimes those who have passed everyone and are coming around again." Akamaru just whimpered something as his goodbye. Kiba laid down a bag of soldier pills. "I need to stop relying so much on useless tools. You showed me that." With that Kiba got on Akamaru and they raced off before anyone could see their tears.

Aburame Shino was standing next to the grave next. "I always say you as weak, exactly as Kiba-san stated. But, it seems now my observations were incorrect. You hid your greatest strengths in an attempt for attention. You hid your real emotions, and fooled us all. No mask of porcelain of wood can ever match that." Shino then removed his ever present Aburame sunglasses before placing then on grave. His eyes leaking tears despite his attempts to hold them back.

Haruno Sakura approached Naruto's grave before looking down. She shed a tear and walked away her head down. She didn't deserve Naruto's respect. Even in death.

Uchiha Sasuke came up to the grave. "Dobe, I never told you this, but, you were my first friend. I thought I was alone in this world. But you proved me wrong. You showed me the true power of friendship. And I will kill Itachi, one day. But for right now, the Uchiha Manor lies empty except for me. It's about time there was the pitter patter of little feet just like before. And there will be, as soon as I find a Mrs. Uchiha. You showed me the error of my ways Naruto, but I never got to show you yours." Sasuke tossed his dented headband onto Naruto's grave before walking off.

Asuma was the first jounin to pay his respects. "I never knew you brat. And I only saw you as the Kyuubi. But, maybe I shouldn't have." Asuma left a set of brand new trench knives on his grave.

Kurenai spoke next. "Naruto, you gave hope to all us. You inspired us to work our hardest. You taught us the true importance of friendship and exactly how precious it is to those who have it. If only I had treated you better instead of ignoring you just like everyone else." Kurenai left a happy birthday card. Signed by her for every single one of Naruto's uncelebrated birthday.

Kakashi was the last to approach. "Naruto, I blame myself. I should have focused on all of you instead of just Sasuke. It's my fault you're where you are now. But maybe, just maybe, people there respect you, and care for you. Just like what we neglected to do. If you can find it within you Naruto, maybe you could one day, forgive me? I know it's a lot to ask, but, it's the only thing I really wish for." Kakashi took off his mask and laid it on Naruto's grave. "He more than anyone deserves to see my face." Kakashi stared at the grave for a minute before putting on a new mask before solemnly walking away. It looked like he would be an hour later for every appointment now. Although, no one could really blame him for the last hour.

The next person was Tsunade. She merely laid the Hokage Stone on his grave before walking away weeping loudly. Shizune followed her in the order of the visitors. She placed a bottle of expensive sake on his grave. "Tsunade would have wanted you to have it." With that she ran after her master.

Jiraiya was the next to pay his dues. "I taught you a lot of things boy. But you taught me even more. You taught me about caring, and respect, and determination. And because of that I want you to have this." Jiraiya laid a small book on the grave. "Icha Icha Paradise Special Edition Volume 56. The only copy to ever be signed by the author. It's also the last edition. Seeing as how you never read them before now may be the time to start." Jiraiya gave a sad smile before summoning a toad and hopping off into the distance.

The last person approached. It was none other than Yamanka Ino. "Naruto… why'd you have to do this… And so soon right after… I wish you were still here. We barely had time to enjoy it. But, if you can still hear me, I want you to know, I still love you, and I always will…" Yamanaka Ino shed a single tear as she looked up into the clouded sky. She kissed the grave once, leaving a lipstick mark. She smiled in a sad way before standing up and leaving.

After everyone had left a figure stepped out from the shadows. His pale slit snake like golden eyes gleamed in the rain. He approached the grave before looking at everything placed there. He reached into his cloak and pulled out a small blue piece of cloth. "I'm sure you don't know this but, this was your favorite blanket when you were a child. They took you away before I could explain how much I loved you. And all you had left was this blanket. When you had it stolen, I took it back and swore to give it back one day. It looks like I can finally fulfill that promise can't I, son?" With those words Orochimaru, the Snake Sannin, murdered of hundreds, cold-blooded hater of Konoha, and father to one Uzumaki Naruto, walked away from the grave of his only son slowly, his back turned, a single tear falling down his face.

End.

A/N – So how did you like it? The ending was just a little plot twist I threw in there. This was just some of the ways I thought Naruto's friends would respond, and the gifts they might leave. But this is only a solitary soul's speculations.


End file.
